Naominnesota
Naominnesota is a formerly sovereign, now a federal state, part of the United States of Naomi. Located east of the Diamond Desert, the state specialises in agriculture, feeding large numbers of people in other states and even foreign nations. History The history of Naominnesota began when Ploom Ravenheart first managed to fully cross the Diamond Desert (starting from Cactocide and stopping by at Marty Mountain) and explore the habitable lands beyond. Settling in what is now Ploom Creek, she constructed a farm right where sand turned to soil and was quickly able to feed a new community of pioneers. In the early days, other resources were chiefly mined in Naomi's Amazing Gat in de Grond, an expansive underground facility which allowed for further expansion of agricultural efforts. This eventually led to a consistent harvest surplus, which is why the pioneers decided to set up trade with the world's other nations, feeding them crops and meat from beyond the desert. For this purpose Nellie's Hotel & Restaurant was built around a new and distant northern settlement called Naomi Grove. Offering free food and beds to weary travelers emerging from the desert, it led other nations to think more highly of the new state of Naominnesota and as such it has enjoyed strong diplomatic relations with various governments since. Situated in a (at the time) largely unmapped area of Pisa Manama, the pioneers explored their general area further, digging mineshafts with varying degrees of success and even mapping the southern seas by boat. The state was also quick to claim the desert ruins opposite Ploom Creek for itself, after they had been excavated by railroad workers from Pieter Kingdom. After having been connected to the Kings Railroad Network, Ploom started work on the Amazing Tunnel onder de Zee as its first major effort in infrastructure. This tunnel was given all the more purpose when the Pioneers discovered Gay Island and Rock Island, which would lead to the establishment of the federal system and the founding of the United States of Naomi. Geography ' ' Though landscapes can vary, most of Naominnesota is located near creeks and rivers at the very edge of the desert. The pioneers are therefore known to terraform their environment, making the desert fertile and fit for trees and plants to grow on. Dedicated to their cause, they tend to dig up and replace sand no less than three meters deep with fresh soil. The non-desert lands feature a mixture of plains and hills. Notably, Naominnesota is the origin of the rare but popular acacia tree and also melons. Diplomacy Feeding the world and asking little in return, Naominnesota is a friend to most nations, but is mostly concerned with the Commonwealth of Aresas with which it shares strong historic ties. Before the USN came to be, tensions have arisen mostly between the Pioneers and Pieter Kingdom. Examples of diplomatic disputes between the two nations were King Pieter's attempts to limit the extent of the Pioneers' exploration southwards, as well as the construction of a disputed Pieter Kingdom embassy in Ploom Creek. However, this rocky relationship was offset by the nations' mutual reliance on eachother's food and infrastructure. In modern times, despite having lost its status as capital, Naominnesota remains a key state in internal USN politics.